Johnson picked up where Curt Schilling left off, overpowering the Yankees with a three-hitter for a 4-0 win Sunday night that gave Arizona a two games-to-none lead.

The three-time defending champion Yankees left Arizona reeling, held to just six hits in two games.

Pitching for the first time in the World Series, Johnson put on perhaps his finest performance in striking out 11. And this from a three-time Cy Young winner, a strikeout ace with a no-hitter to his credit.

The Diamondbacks had banked on their 1-2 punch of Schilling and Johnson putting them ahead at Bank One Ballpark. Probably no one, however, imagined they would make the Yankees look so overmatched.

Now, New York must count on a return to Yankee Stadium to close the gap. The next matchup is in the Yankees' favor -- Brian Anderson, shaky all season, starts for Arizona against 20-game winner Roger Clemens in Game 3 Tuesday night.

The Yankees rallied from an 0-2 deficit in the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves and rallied to win in six games, the first of their five championships in the last six years.

Game 3 -- Tuesday, 8 (FOX)

New York (Clemens 20-3)

Arizona (Anderson 4-9)

Holding his glove high to shield all but his eyes, Johnson fanned seven of the first nine batters and did not give up a hit until Jorge Posada singled to start the fifth inning.

His only jam came in the eighth when Shane Spencer and Alfonso Soriano started with singles. But Johnson got a complaining Scott Brosius to look at a 97 mph fastball for strike three and escaped when pinch-hitter Luis Sojo grounded into a double play.

Johnson pumped his fist when Sojo, a Yankees' good-luck charm, hit his grounder and Schilling jumped up and down in the dugout.

Arizona manager Bob Brenly asked Johnson if he wanted to finish the ninth, and the answer clearly was yes.

Andy Pettitte nearly matched Johnson for most of the game, throwing an incredible 18 straight strikes in the early going.

On this night, though, it was going to take a no-hitter to beat Johnson.

Danny Bautista hit an RBI single in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. Then in the seventh, one pitch after Bautista singled sharply off Pettitte's right leg, Matt Williams launched a three-run homer.

Williams became the first player to hit Series homers for three teams.